


after this fades

by januarys



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-23
Updated: 2013-05-23
Packaged: 2017-12-12 16:57:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/813871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/januarys/pseuds/januarys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>ME3. Kaidan has his doubts, but Shepard convinces him otherwise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	after this fades

**Author's Note:**

> A little drabble I wrote up last night whilst traversing the depths of the 'mshenko' tag on tumblr. Found a stunning graphic of that lovely moment following the pre-Cronos romance scene and Kaidan's face gave me the inspiration. I simply wanted to write some hopeful fluff between these two and I hope it shines through! Hope you all like it <3

“Do you ever wonder why we didn’t do this sooner, Shepard?”

Shepard stops searching for his trousers (oh,  _there_ they are… under the bed?), and faces Kaidan. There’s that little crease in his brow, the one that usually appears when he’s thinking too much. And  _damn_  it all if he doesn’t look amazing, all sleep-mused and tangled in Shepard’s sheets. 

It’s a beautiful view, in Kaidan’s words.

“By this,” Shepard gestures between them. “I’m assuming that you mean what we did last night? Four or five times?”

Kaidan rolls his eyes and settles back against the pillow. His fingers unconsciously trace the skin of his abdomen. Eyes forward, Shepard.

“No,  _that_  was done and dusted weeks ago.” He meets Shepard’s eyes, falling silent. “I mean, why didn’t  _we_  do  _this_?”

Million credit question. Shepard could answer in a million different ways. Maybe the truth wouldn’t hurt this time. He sits down on the edge of the bed, a hand gripping Kaidan’s ankle above the covers, and smiles softly.

“Honestly? I don’t know. I never thought about it.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“You know what I mean.” Shepard squeezes his ankle. “There was already too much shit going on. And when you add it all up…”

“I guess time just slipped us by, huh?” Kaidan is quiet, his voice a little softer than it usually is. Shepard goes to think of another time when  _this_  could have grown into more than it already was, but holds back the thought.

He shifts his position and crawls up the sheets. Kaidan snorts softly, his breath then caught in his throat as Shepard straddles his waist. May as well start the morning reps with something familiar. After all, he’s not as young as he once was.

Shepards brings his hands to cup Kaidan’s jaw, and presses their foreheads together. They breathe for awhile. The Normandy hums in the background. The aquarium casts its cool light across the room.

“What matters is  _now_ , Kaidan.” Shepard whispers. “That all the time we lost is going to be back in our hands when all of this is over.”

“Yeah,” Kaidan’s breath ghosts along Shepard’s lips. “But what if—”

Shepard kisses the corner of his mouth. “Didn’t you just tell me not five minutes ago that we’re going to win?”

“Damn, I was hoping you’d already forgotten that.” His hand comes up to grip Shepard’s waist, fingernails scratching his skin softly.

Shepard kisses him fully. It’s long and slow and Kaidan’s mouth is a perfect fit against his own. Kaidan makes a soft sound as Shepard pulls back.

“And  _that_ is why I’m the first human Spectre.”

Kaidan scoffs as Shepard expertly rolls off of him and _then_ he rolls off of the bed, the sheets tangling in his flailing limbs. For a moment, he doesn’t understand why he’s seeing the roof instead of the wall.

There's a smug look on Kaidan's face as he leans over. “And  _that_  is why I’m the second human Spectre.”

Shepard flips him off. Kaidan reaches out to grab his hand, fingers intertwining, and brings it to his lips. Shepard can’t control the shiver that trails down his arm.

“Alright then,” Kaidan says against his skin. “I know what I’m fighting for now.”

“Oh yeah, and what’s that?” 

He looks at Shepard, who loses himself in that honey-eyed gaze. “This.”

Yeah, Shepard thinks. Beautiful view.


End file.
